Fluent cosmetic applicator with replaceable cartridge



B. D. ASTON May 4, 1965 FLUENT COSMETIC APPLICATOR WITH REPLAGEABLE CARTRIDGE Filed June 12, 1961 WHATS...

INVENTOR. BQZ/NO Q 6 870 g;

@606 IQTTOPA/E United States Patent Ofiiee 3,1815% Patented May 4, i965 3,181,539 FLUENT COSMETIC APPLICATOR WITH REPLACEABLE CARTRIDGE Bruno l). Aston, West Covina, Calif. (14421 Autumn Moon Drive, Hacienda Heights, Calif.) Filed June 12, 1961, Ser. No. 116,562 Claims. (Cl. 132--79) The present invention relates to cosmetic applicators, and more particularly to an applicator which has means for supplying a fluent cosmetic to an applicator element.

Cosmetics such as lipstick and mascara, are variously packaged for ease of handling and storage whereby a supply of cosmetic of the above mentioned types, particularly, is readily availableand may be easily carried in a womans purse or pocket without fear of damage to or staining of the clothing, the purse or articles contained therein.

Precise application of such cosmetics as lipstick and mascara has been facilitated by employment of rather fine brushes or brush-like applicators with liquid cosmetic which dries upon application.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a convenient and elfective liquid cosmetic applicator containing a reservoir or source of cosmetic which is continuously available during use of the applicator.

Another object is to provide a fluid cosmetic applicator of a type comprising a cartidge which is readily replaceable in a case and which contains all of the necessary instrumentalities for the application of fluent cosmetic, including an applicator head in the nature of a brush or other porous or absorbent applicator means, a source of fluent cosmetic, and means for forcefully feeding cosmetic to the applicator means. In accordance with this objective the present invention provides an expendable cartridge which contains a supply of fluent cosmetic so that upon depletion of the supply the cartridge may be removed from its carrying case and thrown away, and a replacement cartridge may be installed in the housing with ease.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a unitizcd liquid cosmetic containing cartridge for insertion in a supporting case, the cartridge unit being of a novel and easily manufactured construction, yet being easily manually operated to supply fluid cosmetic to the applicator means thereof, and at the same time being reliable in its operation as well as being safe insofar as leakage of cosmetic therefrom is concerned.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter described or will become apparent to those skilled in the art, and the novel features of the invention will be defined in the appended claims.

'In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through an embodiment of a cosmetic applicator made in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded detail view partly in section and partly in longitudinal section;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary detail view in longitudinal section of a modification of the cosmetic applicator of FIG. 1; and

. FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section through a modified applicator end of the invention.

Like reference characters in the several views of the drawing and in the following description designate corresponding parts.

Referring first to FIG. 1, the cosmetic applicator assembly is illustrated as including an elongated body or case 1 which is preferably of a size and shape such that it may be readily manipulated in the hand of a user, and to this end, the case is preferably relatively long and slender. The case 1 is hollowed and has at one of its ends a nose section 2 adapted to be threadedly connected to the case 1 as at 3 and having an elongated tapered gripping portion 4 readily engageable by the fingers of a user. The nose section 2 is adapted to receive a closure cap 5, and preferably, means are provided for securely retaining the cap on the nose section, such as, for example, lugs 6 formed on the nose section 2 adjacent the connection thereof to the case 1 and engageable in recesses 7 in the closure cap 5.

At the other end of the case 1 from the nose section 2, the case is suitably provided with a retainer flange 8 which, as will hereinafter be more particularly described, constitutes an abutment for a unitized fluent cosmetic dispensing and applying cartridge generally designated C.

This cartridge C is composed of three cooperatively related sections, namely, an applicator section A, a reservoir section R and a pressure supplying section generally designated P.

Means are provided in the applicator section A for facilitating the coating of cosmetic material on the lips, eyebrows or the like, and such means may be, as in this illustrative embodiment, composed of a body 16 of porous material preferably substantially pointed as at 11 to enable fine control of the area of application of the cosmetic material. It will be apparent that any suitable brushlike material having the ability to carry and supply liquid material to a surface, will be appropriate as an applicator means.

The illustrative applicator means or body 10 is generally of cylindrical form and is disposed in the open end of a neck 12 of an elongated hollow housing 13 which may be composed of sheet metal, plastic material or the like. An elongate longitudinally tapered member 14 having a central opening 15 therethrough is disposed coaxially within the applicator body 10 and is provided at its inner end with a retainer head 16 closely fitting in the wall of the housing 13 in opposed relation to a wall 16' of the housing provided at the juncture of the neck portion 12 thereof with an elongated reservoir section 17 of the housing. The body 10 is provided with a. flange 17 interposed between the retainer head 16 and the opposing wall 16' so that the applicator body 16 may not be displaced from the end of the neck portion 12 of the housing 13. a

The reservoir section R of the cartridge C comprises an elongated cylindrical section 17. referred .to above which fits snugly in the nose section 2 of the case 1, and the reservoir is preferably flared outwardly to provide an enlarged reservoir section 18 which is stepped further outwardly as at 19 to provide a shoulder against which seats one end of a coiled compression spring 20. The other end of the spring 20 engages a ball check valve 21 which may be of plastic material. This ball check valve 21 engages in a tapered seat 22 through which is a port 23 so that the valve effectively prevents the flow of liquid cosmetic from the reservoir section R.

The pressure supplying section of the cartridge comprises a generally cylindrical or tubular member 24, the end wall of which adjacent the valve 21 not only provides the valve seat 22, but also provides an annular spring seat 25 in which is engaged one end of a coiled compression spring 26. The other end of the spring 26 engages a piston 27 supported or. formed on the inner end of an actuator stem 28 which projects longitudinally of the case 1 through the retainer flange 8 previously described. An appropriate sealing means such as a resilient, preferably non-metallic ring 29, is provided between the piston27 and the wall of the member 24. It will be noted that the member 24 is coaxially'dis posedand fits snugly within the outwardly stepped portion retainerflange 8 ofthe case.

c 19 of the cartridge housing 13 and, preferably, both the member 24 and the housing 13 have their ends 24' and 13' crimped radially inwardly into engagement in a groove 30 in a plug 31.. This plug 31 has an opening 32 therethrough through which the piston stem 28 extends.

It, will now benoted that the housing, commencing at th'e plug 3t), progressively steps down to smaller diameter sections, and that each of the parts within the housing heretofore described, commencing with the applicator body '10 and including the piston 29,-are insertable through a the large end of the cartridge housing13, and upon the subsequentcrimping of the ends 13' and 24' of the member 24 and the housing 13 into locking engagement with the groove 30 in the plug 31, thecartridg'e is completed as a unitized assembly-easily insertable into the case 1' end of the case 1 when the cartridge is installed in the case and during use of the assembled cosmetic applicator. In the illustrative embodiment of FIGS.-1 and 2, this entirety, including the piston stem, is biased'toward means comprises a retainer cap 33 which fits over the outer extremity of thefplunger stem 28 and has an outwardly extended abutment flange 34 engageable with the Preferably, the retainer cap; 33 is dimpled'as at 35 or otherwise crimped into frictional engagement with or connected to the stem 28.

Means'are-provided whereby air is suppliedto the pressure supplying means between the piston 27 and the ball valve seat 22. Inthe embodiment of the invention herein shown, the piston stem..28;is provided with a passageway extending longitudinally therethrough and designated 36, the retainer cap being provided with an'opening 37 communicating with the passageway 36. 'Accordingly, it will be noted that air is free to pass into the chamber defined between the piston and the valve seat 22; In theuse of thecosmetic applicator, when it is desire 1 to force feed fluent cosmetic material to the applicator body or brush 10, theuserwill simply pp a thumb or .finger to the outer end of the plunger stem 28, and more particularly to the retainer cap'j33 thereon, so as to efiectively closethie opening. 37'therein, thus'trapp'ing in the chamber lying between the piston and the valve seat 22, a volume ofair. Upon depression of the piston tem 28 with consequent movement of the piston toward the valve the applicator end as in FIG. 3, or whether the housing 13, together with its positively connected parts including the plug 31, is biased toward the applicator end by the spring 26, while the stem 28 and piston 27 are biased in the opposite direction, by the spring 26, the cartridge assembly need not be madetto. fit with any degree of pre- 'oision within the case C. The reason that the spring 26 urges the entire cartridge assembly except the piston 27 toward the nose portion 4;of,the case 1,,is that, asshown in FIG. 1, the piston 27 is at the limit of its outward movement and spaced from plug 31 due to the flange 34 on the retainer cap 33 abutting the. flange 8' on the case.

Therefore, the forceof the spring 26 is ineffective against the piston but is effective against the spring seat 25 of the .tubular member 24, which latter, together with the tubular the-force ofthe spring against the piston '27 andagainst the spring seat of the member 24 i uniform. In other words, the spring does not exert a greater forceagainst the piston 27'than against itstseat at..the end of the member 24 opposite. the piston. Consequently,, the spring 28" will bias the entire cartridge includingthe piston and its stem'in the direction above noted. A a result, the manufacture, installation and replacement of the cartridges is a relatively simplematter.

Referringto FIG. 4,.there is shown amodified applicator end A in which a brush 10' preferably composed of' suitable synthetic bristles, is illustrated in lieu: of a 'porous applicator body or brush 10 as previously de- 1 scribed; In eithericase, however, the porous applicator 1t) and the brush applicator 10f constitute applicator seat 22 against the spring 26, the air inthe chamber will be forced through the port 23 in the valve seat 22 so as to unseat the valve 21 against the pressure of spring 213 and thereby raise the pressure of fiuid in the reservoir section R so as to cause flow through the opening 15 in theretainer 14 and to supplya'quantity of fluent cosmetic to the applicator body or brush 10. stroke of the piston 27 is desired in order to force addi-.

tional cosmetic into the applicator body or brush 10, then the user need simply release the thumb or finger from the opening 37 ,to'allowair to enter the passage 36 through the piston stem 28'and toallow thespring 26 to urge the a stem outwardly 'At the same time, the' spring 2t] will return, the ball valve 21' t'o its seat so as to prevent the escape of cosmetic material into the pressure upplying section of the cartridge. Upon next depressin-gthe tem 28", a further quantity of cosmetic material will be sup.-

Ifmore than one means composedof a material which enables the feed of fluent cosmetic material therethrough to the tip thereof for ease of applicationof the material to the'lips, eyebrows, and the like of a user. 7 V I While the invention has been described in connection with the 'application'of fluent cosmeticlmaterials, it will be understoodthat such use is not exclusive, and that changes and'alterations in the details maybe resorted to.

without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined int-he appended claims. W V l l 1. 'A device for applying fluent material, comprising:

an elongated caseg a cartridge removably disposed insaid, case and including applicatior means extending. from one end of said case;said cartridge including a reservoir for fluent material communicating with said applicator means;-

pressure sup-plying means for supplying fluid under pressure to said reservoir to' displacefluent material therefrom to said appli'catcmmeans; saidpressure supplying means including a. chamber in saidcartridgeg a piston ihlsaid pliedto the applicator body or brush 10, as just described.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a somewhat'modified em-.

, bodiment of 'thein'vention is shown wherein, in lieu of theretainer cap- 33, outward movement-of the stem 28 islimited by engagement of the piston with theinner end of the plug '31.

In this embodiment the stem, moreover, is provided'witlr'a shoulder 28 on which seats one end of .a coiled compression spring 28" the other end of this spring abutting with the retainer flange 8. With this construction, it will be observedithat the entire c artridge v C is resilienly urged outwardly bytthe spring-28" in the;

idirection of the iapplicatofend of the device; .In either case,,howeve r, that is whetherlthej'cartridge assembly in its chamber; a stem on. said piston projecting from said cartridge and'the other-end .ofsa-id case .and' manually eni gageable to shift said piston in said chamber; means for allowingair to enter-said chamber, interen-gaging means between said stem and casinglimiting projection Of'iSflld jstem from said other end of said case, and means urging said cartridge toward said one end of said case 2; A device for applying fluent material, comprising:

-an elongated case having a nose section atone end; a

tubular; cartridge in said case includi'rig applicator 'means' at one. end extending through said nosesection; an elon gate portion of said car'tridge providing a reservoirfo'r fluent material communicatingwith said applicator means a plug in the oth'er'end of said "cartridge; means provid-' ing a chamber between saidjplug and said reservoir; a :7

passageway-from said chamber to-said reservoifia'check V and urging enemas valve normally closing said passageway between said chamber and said reservoir; a piston in said chamber having a stern extending through said plug; means for admitting air to said chantuber between said piston and said check valve; and said stem extending through the end of said case opposite said applicator means and being engageab-le to shift said piston; said tubular cartridge enclosing and having fixed thereto said applicator means and said stern for removal therewith from said case and nose section, said plug being provided with a groove extended therearound and said end of said tubular cartridge having a portion projecting into said groove; said means providing said chamber including a tubular member disposed in said tubular cartridge and having an end wall providing a seat for said check valve; said tubular memher also having a portion projecting into said groove.

3. A device as defined in claim 2, including means for biasing said cartridge in said case in the direction of said applicator means.

4. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said ease has a retainer flange through which said stem extends; and including a cap on said stern extending through said flange and having a projection engageable therewith to limit movement of said stern outwardly of said case; said means for admitting air to said chamber including a passageway leading through said cap; and a passageway extending through said stern and said piston.

t3 5. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said case has a retainer flange through which said stern extends; and including a compression spring engaged with said flange; an abutment on said stern engaged by said spring; and a compression spring interposed between said piston and the means providing said chamber.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 929,494 7/09 Ring 132-81 1,935,639 11/33 Keeshan 15-505 2,116,888 5/38 Grodka 132-745 2,190,975 2/ 40 Brown 132-745 2,272,641 2/42 Mureau 132-85 2,382,314 8/45 Herb 15-549 2,632,193 3/ 5 3 Gilchrist 222-326 XR 2,763,881 9/56 Reel 132-85 3,002,517 10/ 61 Pitton 222-327 XR 3,008,476 11/61 Pepin 132-79 FOREIGN PATENTS 37,610 9/30 France. 816,136 10/51 Germany. 991,583 6/51 France. 1,092,894 11/54 France.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

LOUiS J. DEMBO, JORDAN FRANKLIN, Examiners. 

1. A DEVICE FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIAL, COMPRISING: AN ELONGATED CASE; A CARTRIDGE REMOVABLY DISPOSED IN SAID CASE AND INCLUDING APPLICATOR MEANS EXTENDING FROM ONE END OF SAID CASE; SAID CARTRIDGE INCLUDING A RESERVOIR FOR FLUENT MATERIAL COMMUNICATING WITH SAID APPLICATOR MEANS; PRESSURE SUPPLYING MEANS FOR SUPPLYING FLUID UNDER PRESSURE TO SAID RESERVOIR TO DISPLACE FLUENT MATERIAL THEREFROM TO SAID APPLICATOR MEANS; SAID PRESSURE SUPPLYING MEANS INCLUDING A CHAMBER IN SAID CARTRIDGE; A PISTON IN SAID CHAMBER; A STEM ON SAID PISTON PROJECTING FROM SAID CARTRIDGE AND THE OTHER END OF SAID CASE AND MANUALLY ENGAGEABLE TO SHIFT SAID PISTON IN SAID CHAMBER; MEANS FOR ALLOWING AIR TO ENTER SAID CHAMBER, INTERENGAGING MEANS BETWEEN SAID STEM AND CASING LIMITING PROJECTION OF SAID STEM FROM SAID OTHER END OF SAID CASE, AND MEANS URGING SAID CARTRIDGE TOWARD SAID ONE END OF SAID CASE AND URGING SAID STEM TOWARD SAID OTHER END OF SAID CASE. 